Time optimization in a device utilizing water for a cleaning procedure

Abstract

The present inventive concept relates to a device ( 500 ) utilizing water for a group of cleaning procedures, wherein each cleaning procedure ( 100 ) in the group of cleaning procedures comprises a plurality of cleaning phases ( 102, 104, 106, 108 ) each using cleaning phase water having a substance content with respect to a number of substances, wherein the device ( 500 ) comprises a sensor arrangement ( 554 ) configured to determine a first substance content ( 110 ) with respect to at least one of the number of substances in first cleaning phase water from a first cleaning phase ( 102 ) being part of the plurality of cleaning phases ( 102, 104, 106, 108 ); wherein the device ( 500 ) is configured to end the first cleaning phase ( 102 ) if a pre-determined condition related to the first substance content ( 110 ) and associated with the first cleaning phase ( 102 ) has been met.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A device utilizing water for a group of cleaning procedures, wherein each cleaning procedure in the group of cleaning procedures comprises a plurality of cleaning phases each using cleaning phase water having a substance content with respect to a number of substances, wherein the device comprises:
 a sensor arrangement configured to determine a first substance content with respect to at least one of the number of substances in first cleaning phase water from a first cleaning phase being part of the plurality of cleaning phases, 
 wherein the sensor arrangement is further configured to determine a second substance content with respect to the at least one of the number of substances in the first cleaning phase water, 
 wherein the sensor arrangement is configured to determine the first and second substance content at different points in time and to compare the first and second substance content to each other in order to determine a substance content rate of change with respect to the at least one of the number of substances, 
 wherein the device is configured to end the first cleaning phase if a pre-determined condition related to the first and second substance content and associated with the first cleaning phase has been met, and 
 wherein the pre-determined condition comprises the substance content rate of change being within a substance content rate of change interval. 
 
     
     
       2. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the pre-determined condition comprises the substance content being within a first substance content interval. 
     
     
       3. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the device is a washing machine. 
     
     
       4. The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a water treatment arrangement configured to decrease a level of the at least one of the number of substances in cleaning phase water from the plurality of cleaning. 
     
     
       5. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor arrangement comprises at least one of an electrical conductivity sensor, a pH sensor, and a turbidity sensor. 
     
     
       6. A method for optimizing a duration of a cleaning procedure in a device utilizing water for a group of cleaning procedures, wherein each cleaning procedure comprises a plurality of cleaning phases each using cleaning phase water having a substance content with respect to a number of substances, wherein the device comprises a sensor arrangement, wherein the method comprises:
 determining a first substance content with respect to at least one of the number of substances in first cleaning phase water from a first cleaning phase being part of the plurality of cleaning phases; 
 determining a second substance content with respect to the at least one of the number of substances in the first cleaning phase water, wherein the determination of the first and second substance content is performed at different points in time; 
 comparing the first and second substance content to each other in order to determine a substance content rate of change with respect to the at least one of the number of substances; and 
 ending the first cleaning phase if a pre-determined condition related to the first substance content and associated with the first cleaning phase have been met, 
 wherein the pre-determined condition comprises the substance content rate of change being within a substance content rate of change interval. 
 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the pre-determined condition comprises the first substance content being within a first substance content interval. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the device further comprises a water treatment arrangement, wherein the method further comprises:
 treating cleaning phase water from at least one of the plurality of cleaning phases in the water treatment arrangement in order to decrease a level of the at least one of the number of substances in the cleaning phase water from the at least one of the plurality of cleaning phases.